Grafoil® Gaskets

GRAFOIL® flexible graphite was the first fluid sealing material made exclusively from pure, natural graphite flake. Its resistance to heat, fire, corrosion and aggressive chemicals make it the most universally applicable sealing solution on the market today. Like no other, GRAFOIL® products provide a tight seal after repeated exposure to the harshest environments.

When it comes to cutting gaskets there are several ways to get the job done. Traditional "clicker presses" are great for larger quantity jobs and have been the standard in the industry for years. The biggest down side to using clicker presses is tooling must be made to produce a gasket.
Just as CNC lathes revolutionized the machining industry, laser cutters, routers and water jet are all computer controled ways of cutting a gasket with out the need for tooling or dies.

If you have a cut gasket application that requires more than traditional
solutions, let our team of cut gasket professionals help.

Manufacturers we represent

Utex Industries, Sepco, FMI, DX Seal, Leader Gasket, Graftech.

Though trading partners we can also offer Flexitallic, Garlock, Durlon, A.W.
Chesterton, and other major brands.

Cut Grafoil® Gaskets

Fills the space between two objects, generally to prevent leakage between the two objects while under compression. Cut Gaskets saves money by allowing less precise mating surfaces on machine parts which can use Cut Gaskets to fill irregularities. Gaskets are commonly produced by cutting Grafoil® flexible graphite sheet. Cut Gaskets, such as gasket paper (beater addition), Non-asbestos, Rubber, EPDM, Nitrile, Buna, Neoprene, Flexible Graphite, Grafoil®, Aflas, Kalrez®, Viton®, Silicone, Metal, Mica, Felt or a plastic polymer such as (PTFE), EPTFE, Urethane, or Ethylene Propylene (EP).

Today's sealing products manufacturer's in the United States no longer produce or offer any asbestos containing products. Cut Gaskets containing asbestos have been claimed to have caused Asbestosis. Of course it would take the grinding of Cut Gaskets to release the fibers and then the breathing in of those fibers....possible but in the real world this would be rare. Wetting or oiling a gasket before grinding for removal greatly reduces any risk (not grinding is even better). Flexible Graphite gasket materials have filled the void left when asbestos materials were abandoned.

It is usually desirable that the gaskets be made from a material that is compressible such that it tightly fills the space it is designed for, including any slight irregularities. The most common misconception when selecting a Cut Gasketss thickness is to choose a Cut Gaskets that is too thick. The thicker the material the more likely the material being contained can weep through the pores of the Cut Gaskets itself. This is a greater issue with some materials than others. A rule of thumb is to have the material thick enough to compensate for any surface face irregularities and to permit some compression. The required compression for your Cut Gaskets will depend many factors including:

1)Grafoil® Gasket Surface area

2)Pressure being sealed by Flexible Graphite

3)Size of bolts (assuming bolts are being used)

4)Number of bolts

5)Condition of the bolts

6)Lubrication on the bolts

All must be considered when determining torque. Torque data must be determined using all of the above and should be provided by an engineer. If your gasket is a standard ANSI or API flange using Ring or Full Face gaskets torque data will be provided by AS&P. Custom gaskets are more difficult to come by. In most cases the old tighten it tight enough to stop any leaks but not too tight as to completely crush the gasket is generally accepted.

Over compression of Cut Gaskets is a common problem with metal gaskets which have mechanically designed recovery built into the gasket. Over compression removes the Cut Gaskets ability to recover. This is also true of Grafoil®, once over compressed it will have no recovery and therefore will not longer adapt to maintain a seal. The common strategy of "The more compressive load exerted on the gasket, the longer it will last" is generally true of elastomeric materials since elastomers (rubbers) are not compressible but deflect compression. This does not apply to flexible graphite. Many materials such as non-asbestos compressed Cut Gasketss and beater addition (ie; Armstrong) materials contain elastomers in the mix of material they are produced from, making them difficult to over compress.

One of the more desirable properties of an effective Cut Gaskets in industrial applications is the ability to withstand high compressive loads. Most industrial gasket applications involve bolts exerting compression well into the 14 MPa (2000 psi) range or higher. This is why Grafoil® flexible graphite Cut Gaskets are so widely used in industrial Cut Gaskets applications.

American Seal & Packing Cuts Gaskets of GRAFOIL® Flexible Graphite and other "soft goods".
Gaskets can be cut based on your drawing or sample of the gasket you desire. Basic I.D x O.D shapes can be cut by hand however most gaskets require a die.
Gasket materials are available in rolls or on pallets depending on type and quantity. Name brands we can provide include; Thermoseal,Klinger, Johns Manville, RM, Detroit, Utex and GRAFOIL® Flexible Graphite among other gasket styles.
So, if you want a cut gasket or gasket material so you can cut your own, we can help.